Universal Studios Hollywood will once again celebrate Potterheads, Dungeon Masters and other obsessed fandoms when Fan Fest Nights returns to the movie theme park with experiences dedicated to sci-fi, fantasy, gaming and anime.
Universal Fan Fest Nights will run on 12 select nights between April 23 and May 16 with experiences based on Harry Potter, Dungeons & Dragons, Scooby-Doo, Universal Monsters, One Piece and Sailor Moon.
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The after-hours, separate admission event in its sophomore year is a cross between Halloween Horror Nights and Comic-Con with walk-through attractions, fan zones and character meet-and-greet photo ops as well as cosplay opportunities, themed food and exclusive merchandise.
Fan Fest 2026 brings back some familiar intellectual properties from the inaugural event with new twists added to the experiences.
Let’s take a closer look at the six Fan Fest experiences that will be available each night throughout the theme park.
Scooby-Doo Meets the Universal Monsters: Mystery on the Backlot
Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Velma, Fred and Daphne will face off against the Wolf Man, Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster and the Bride of Frankenstein during Fan Fest 2026.
Scooby and the gang will take on classic Universal Monsters in Little Europe and the Court of Miracles on the Universal Studios backlot as they try to crack the case, save themselves and possibly even the world.
“This is the birthplace of Universal Monsters where the original monster films were shot almost 100 years ago,” Universal Fan Fest Nights Executive Producer Stephen Siercks said during a media preview. “Leveraging the authenticity of Little Europe combined with the legacy of the Universal Monsters and the nostalgia of Scooby Doo creates a truly, uniquely Universal experience.”
Everybody on the Studios Tour tram will get a Mystery Inc. Manual to help them search for clues on the backlot and solve the Mystery of the Phantom Director.
The nonlinear experience will feature show moments with each of the four monsters and a finale with a different ending every night.
One Piece: Grand Pirate Show
The One Piece experience during Fan Fest 2026 will drop visitors into the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat Pirates from the Japanese manga series as they continue their quest to find a legendary treasure.
The One Piece crew moves to the WaterWorld theater for a live show filled with action, comedy and chaos starring Luffy, Sanji, Usopp, Nami and Zoro from the hit anime series.
The stunt show will center around the search for rare Pop Greens — aggressive seeds from a hostile plant often used for combat.
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Fan Fest 2026 will introduce a new One Piece character to the lineup: Buggy the Star Clown.
All the One Piece characters will assemble in the Grand Pirate Gallery near the WaterWorld theater for meet-and-greet photo ops.
The Hollywood & Dine restaurant will be transformed into Sanji’s Galley during Fan Fest with a One Piece cocktail bar located nearby.
Wizarding World of Harry Potter
A new Harry Potter walk-through experience in Hogsmeade village will take visitors into the Forbidden Forest in search of a lost Hippogriff.
A Hogwarts professor will lead the hunt for the flying horse with an eagle head and wings that will require spell-casting skills. Expect to encounter other magical creatures and fantastic beasts along the way.
Small groups of visitors will be dispatched with a Hogwarts professor to take part in a 12-minute experience throughout the Wizarding World with interactive moments involving the use of magic wands.
Stops along the way will include the Monster Book of Monsters and a dangerous patch of the magical Devil’s Snare plant.
A lifesize Hippogriff puppet with a 20-foot-wing span will be created by Michael Curry Design, known for its puppetry work on “The Lion King” on Broadway and Cirque du Soleil productions.
Sailor Moon and the Sailor Guardians
Sailor Moon teams up with the Sailor Guardians in “The Miracle: Moon Palace Chapter Deluxe” movie from Universal Studios Japan featuring 180-degree visual and special effects in the DreamWorks Theatre.
The Guardians must protect the Legendary Silver Crystal when a battle erupts with a mysterious enemy during the Celestial Ball and plunges the Moon Palace into chaos.
The popular manga anime series follows the adventures of a Japanese magical girl who transforms into a guardian of love and justice and protector of Earth as the leader of the Sailor Guardians.
Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of Waterdeep
The Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of Waterdeep walk-through attraction returns for Fan Fest 2026 with a few new enhancements that will bring visitors face to face with wizards, monsters and treasure hunters.
Visitors will join the Harpers spy network to help foil a plot by Xanathar the Beholder and save the city of Waterdeep during a quest to find a stolen MacGuffin.
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A 30-pound Xanathar puppet creature from the D&D franchise created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop will be back again.
New puzzles and interactivity will be introduced to the attraction along with other additional enhancements.
The First Roll Tavern restaurant takeover will return for a second season.
Colorful Yoshi Celebration
Fans will get a chance to snap photos with colorful pink, green, purple, yellow and blue Yoshi meet-and-greet characters in Super Nintendo World during Fan Fest 2026.
Fan Fest visitors who can solve a Nintendo-related challenge will get to meet additional characters.
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Universal Fan Fest Nights 2026 event dates include April 23-25, May 1-3, May 7-9 and May 14-16.
Fan Fest general admission tickets cost $74 for one night, $129 for two nights and $199 for all 12 nights.
Select attractions will be open during Fan Fest – including Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, Transformers: The Ride 3D, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, Revenge of the Mummy roller coaster, Jurassic World – The Ride and the Simpsons Ride.